Conception was founded in Raufoss, Norway in November 1989. They released 4 albums, before calling it quits in 1997. They played progressive metal, and members can also be found in Roquefire, Kamelot, ARK and Crest Of Darkness. In 2006 the band did a short reunion tour, but a full-fledged reunion is still not talked about.

THE LAST SUNSET (1991, 1993) NOISE

This is probably the heaviest Conception album. After a short intro the band blasts out in what sounds more like a German melodic speed metal band, rather then a Norwegian progressive metal band. But hey, I like this style of music, so I'm not complaining. The CD does not follow through in the same manner, as the recognizable Conception sound is also very much present here. But it is refreshing to hear some killer riffs here and there. I do have a little complaint regarding this album. Roy does not do his best work on it. He shows little diversity, and even tends to get boring after a while. He is still a great singer, but here he lacks the little extra to keep my attention all the way through. So the music does the real talking on 'The Last Sunset'. Tore Østby (guitar) shows impeccable talent, and rises up in the elite with his excellent playing. I also hear a lot of the style that was to become ARK on this album. 'The Last Sunset' was originally released in 1991, as an independent release. The original release had a different cover, and a slightly different mastering.

Killer tracks: Building A Force, Bowed Down With Sorrow, The Last Sunset, Among Gods

PARALLEL MINDS (1993) NOISE

Conception follow up their debut with a more prog oriented effort. They are easily recognized as the same band, but here they deliver so much more, and so much better. They really do excel at what they do. This is where Roy really comes ahead as one of the finest vocalists in the metal circuit. Mind you, he doesn't have this a-type metal voice, but rather a smooth and haunting style. And that is probably why he gets the recognition he does. And again Tore Østby proves that he is one of the most underrated, and unsung heroes of the guitar-world! Man, can this guy play!! He is not about flashy soloing or showmanship. Rather he approaches the guitar parts with a thought through and soulful mindset. I don't know if he is a trained guitar-player, or if this comes natural to him. To me it sounds like he is a classically schooled guitarist, who brings along a Spanish Flamenco guitar-style playing to much of what he does. The music on this album is like taking a journey. It holds great variation, and it never gets boring. It also stays clear of the stereotypes and clichés so often connected with the prog metal scene. With 'Parallel Minds' the collective band have created my favorite Conception album.

Killer tracks: All of them!

IN YOUR MULTITUDE (1995) NOISE

The 3rd Conception album sort of falls a little in between two better efforts in my opinion. The style from 'Parallel Minds' is continued, but the material doesn't have the same staying power. It is still a solid prog-metal platter though. "Under A Mourning Star" opens the CD. And as with the last 2 titles from Conception, the opener is the heaviest track on the album. From there on we get a variety of faster songs, mid-paced tracks, and ballads. 'In Your Multitude' might be the musically better effort in their catalogue, showing a band that should have been as popular as their American counterparts in Dream Theater. Instead they got screwed over by their record company, and left the scene after just one more album.

Killer tracks: Under A Mourning Star, Missionary Man, Solar Serpent, In Your Multitude

FLOW (1997) NOISE

This is the album that made me start to appreciate Conception, though not right away. I bought the album used, and immediately loved the opening track. But the rest of the album did not do much for me, so I sold it. Then some years later I wanted to check out this band again, as I kept reading these good things about them, now that they had disbanded. So I got a hold of 3 of their CD's within a short time span, and gave them another go. And this time I could get into the rest of this album as well. I still love the opening track the best, but I can also enjoy the other tracks too. The album has this smooth vibe all through, and I like the beautiful atmosphere on it. 'Flow' is very well balanced, and Roy's voice is really shining throughout the CD. This is Norwegian prog-metal at it's finest! ENJOY!

Killer tracks: Gethsemane, Flow

Roy Kahn guest appearances:

Avantasia - 'The Scarecrow'

Tore Østby guest appearances:

Jorn - 'Starfire'

Related artists:

ARK, Kamelot